Attitude Check

My friend shared this meme and it made me laugh a lot. It also challenged me to choose gratitude. How's your attitude today?

I admit mine hasn't always been so great. It's too easy to focus on the parts of life that are extra challenging right now, or the things that I am missing.

But the Apostle Paul gives us some encouragement about the kind of attitude we can have. He says this, in 1 Corinthians 10:31:

'³¹ So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything to the glory of God. 

This means we're supposed to do everything - eating, drinking, sleeping in, e-learning, playing video games, eating again, hanging out with our families, walking the dog, eating some more (cuz it's always snack time in quarantine life, right?), brushing our teeth, picking up our room - to the glory of God.

Huh? How do we do that? How do we do all of these everyday activities to the glory of God, especially when we can't go to church?

I'm not pretending to have all the answers here. I'm in the same boat as you, trying to figure this out everyday, how my life that has been so drastically altered and has big demands can be lived to the glory of God.

But here is what I do know. God made us so he could love us. He made us to have relationship with us. And he made us to show his love to others. We show his love to others by spending time trying to become like Jesus, and then acting towards other people - even our parents and annoying little siblings - the way Jesus would act towards them.

If our goal is to bring glory to God, we start by remembering who God made us to be (loved by him, "gardeners" who show his love to others), and then we live our life with that in mind. Sometimes it takes a major attitude shift, especially during these seemingly endless days of shelter-in-place. Here is a prayer you can pray at the start of each day, or when you feel your attitude starting to shift into self-pity, or anxiety, or anger, or even depression or despair. Try choosing a different attitude. Remember that God made you, that he loves you and that he has great things ahead for you today.

Here's the prayer:
"Lord, thank you for making me and for taking care of me. Now, God, make me a blessing to someone today."

Try it and tell us what happens!